China employs artificial intelligence for censorship and surveillance

Analysts are raising alarms over China's growing emphasis on employing artificial intelligence for censorship and surveillance purposes. During a recent meeting of the Communist Party's Politburo centered on Internet ecosystem management, observers noted a notable change in how authorities approach AI. Bill Bishop, a China expert, highlighted that the government is shifting from treating AI as merely a high-tech sector requiring oversight to framing it as a tool for social control and enhancing state power.

Additionally, research from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute indicates that Beijing is leveraging AI to block sensitive images, conduct large-scale monitoring, and analyze public sentiment within minority communities. A contributor to the report told The Washington Post that AI enables the Chinese Communist Party to supervise a broader population more efficiently and with less human effort.

Author: Sophia Brooks